21-carbethoxylates of prednisone and prednisolone



United States Patent 3,158,628 Zi-CARBETHQXYLATES 0F PREDNISQNE AND PREDNHSOLGNE .Fohn A. Hogg, Kalamazoe Township, Kalamazoo (lounty, and Eerome Korrnan, Portage Township, Kalamazoo County, Mich, assignors to The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Mich, a corporation of Michigan No Drawing. Filed May 18, 1956, Ser. No. 583,925 3 Qiairns. (Cl. 2i-397.45)

This invention is concerned with physiologicallyactive steroid hormones and is more particularly concerned with the 21-carbethoxylates of 115,17m,21-trihydroxy-1,4- pregnadiene-3,20-dione and 17a,2l-dihydroxy-1,4-pregnadiene- 3,11,2(l-i1ione, i.e. prednisolone ZI-carbethoxylate and prednisone 2l-carbethoxylates represented by the following formula:

wherein R is selected from the group consisting of fl-hydroxy and oxo.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending applications Serial Nos. 485,316 and 485,317, both filed January 31, 1955, as continuations-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 406,364, filed January 26, 1954, now US. Patent No. 2,774,775.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the 21-carbethoxylates of prednisolone and prednisone which are physiologically active agents of high potency having high and prolonged anti-arthritic activity, orally and subcutaneously, anti-inflammatory activity, particularly locally and intra-articularly, little or no salt retention activity, anda superior therapeutic ratio. The compounds of the present invention are substitutable for other adrenal cortical steroid hormones in known adrenal cortical steroid hormone-containing pharmaceutical compositions such as tablets, lotions, ointments, injectables, and elixirs. Other objects and uses of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

3,158,628 Patented Nov. 24, 1954 "ice The 21-carbethoxylate esters of prednisolone and prednisone of the present invention are obtained by esterification of prednisolone and prednisone, respectively, to introduce the 21-carbethoxylate radical, as more fully described in the following illustrative examples.

Example 1 Example 2 Substituting forty grams of prednisone for the prednisolone in the foregoing procedure provides predinsone 2l-carbethoxylate.

We claim:

1. A compound of the formula wherein R is a member selected from the group consisting of fi-hydroxy andoxo.

2. 11fl,17a,21-trihydroxy 1,4 pregnadiene3,20-dione ZI-carbethoxylate.

3. ;,21 dihydroxy 1,4 pregnadiene-3,11,20-trione ZI-carbethoxylate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,589 Reichstein Dec. 19, 1939 2,736,734 Sarett Feb. 28, 1956 2,768,189 Nominee Oct. 23, 1956 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA 